NFL Mock Draft roundup: Is Carnell Tate the Saints’ best option at No. 8?

The New Orleans Saints are going to be in interesting team in 2026.

With the late season emergence of 2025 second-round pick Tyler Shough, the Saints will look to build around their young quarterback through the free agency period and in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Coming off a 6-11 record, the Saints landed the No. 8 overall selection in the draft, which puts Kellen Moore and company in position to land a key contributor on either side of the ball. Offensively, there will be an opportunity to secure a top-level wide receiver to pair with Chris Olave.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Saint could use that pick to find their successor to long-time edge rusher Cam Jordan and pair with Chase Young.  Other needs for the Saints include linebacker and offensive line depth, but those two positions are considered the greatest need for the Saints in the draft.

So, do they add another weapon for Shough or do they select a young edge rusher to fuel the defense?

NFL Mocks looks at current NFL Mock drafts and debate who will be great for the Saints at No. 8.

CBS Sports NFL Mock Draft: Saints create dynamic duo at wide receiver

It’s all about building around Shough in Josh Edwards’ latest CBS Sports NFL Mock Draft.  With the No. 8 overall pick, Edwards has the Saints selecting former Ohio State standout Carnell Tate.  Although Tate doesn’t have elite top end speed, he is a savvy deep threat who would be in the perfect situation in New Orleans.

After playing second fiddle to Jeremiah Smith at Ohio State, Tate enters a team where he can flourish as a WR2 on the wide receiver depth chart behind Olave, who happens to be another former Buckeyes star.

Edwards writes:

“New Orleans is the latest team to use premium resources to support a young quarterback. It signed Travis Etienne Jr. and offensive guard David Edwards in free agency and now pairs Chris Olave with Carnell Tate.”

With 51 receptions for 875 yards 9 touchdowns during the 2025 season, Tate has emerged as a top three wide receiver prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft.  He projects in most NFL Mock drafts as the first wideout off the board come April.

Fansided.com 3-Round NFL Mock Draft: Saints select their security blanket

Our hub site also projects Tate at No. 8 for the Saints.  There’s a ring there!  Anyway, Cody Williams is on the same wavelength with Edwards as far as the dynamic duo opportunity there with pairing Tate with Olave, but there is also an undertone of the Saints looking for more of a security blanket for Olave who has dealt with some recent health issues.

Williams writes:

“Though there have been some splashes, such as Travis Etienne, for the Saints in free agency, they have left the door still wide open for the draft. New Orleans can pretty comfortably just take the best player available who makes sense, and that's clearly Carnell Tate. With Chris Olave's health concerns and the emergence of Tyler Shough, we have seen the Saints already start to invest around their young QB. A versatile, sure-handed receiver would be a great next step in that plight.”

While health has become a bit of concern with Olave, there is also his current contract situation.  Olave is currently under contract through the 2026 NFL season.  If the two sites can’t come to an extension agreement, trade rumors will swirl stronger.  That would leave Tate as more of a possible replacement was WR1 rather than creating a Batman & Robin duo down in the Bayou.

NFL Mocks pick for Saints at No. 8

While NFL Mocks has projected Carnell Tate or other top wide receiver prospects to the Saints at No. 8, our latest NFL Mock Draft has the NFC South squad finding their Cameron Jordan successor with the selection of Rueben Bain Jr.

This is more of a result of how we see the draft board drifting after the first wave of free agency.  Although Bain Jr. is one of the top if not the top edge rusher in the draft, he slides a bit here due to shifting needs of the team’s selecting ahead of the Saints.  We do have Tate falling off the board at No. 4 to the Tennessee Titans.

With him off the board, the Saints shift to another area of need and if Bain is there, it is an absolute no-brainer as there will be opportunities on Day 2 for the Saints to select another wide receiver.

In all, the projection that both Josh Edwards and Cody Williams share with the selection of Tate gest an A grade.  Olave’s health and contract situation could make this more of a necessity pick, but if the opportunity rises to take care of their pass rush and get even more stout defensively in an NFC South division where offense rules, the Saints must jump on grabbing a game wrecker like Bain.